


Xylabones

by MonsterParade



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Other, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-04 20:38:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6674701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MonsterParade/pseuds/MonsterParade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Behind the grey door, the strange man is crying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Grey Door

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first time writing W. D. Gaster, so please tell me if you think I am doing a decent job! Also, the first chapter will be very short, but the rest of them will be significantly longer.

Behind the grey door, the strange man is crying. 

You've had this dream before. 

How you know so instantly that you're dreaming, you're not sure- there is nothing around you at all, simply whiteness, stretching on as far as the eye can see, and a flat grey door, which is open slightly. You approach the door. 

At first, you don't really want to. It just happens. You are drawn to the sobs echoing from behind it, drawn by a static energy that is pulling you closer, moving your legs whether you like it or not. You remember the man behind the door. 

He is crying. Huge, wracking sobs, and as he turns to look at you, you see his face dripping onto the floor along with his tears, giving a horrific appearance of melting. One of his eyes is half open, a black crescent moon, and the other sits lower on his face, wide open and unseeing. Tears drip freely from both. He shakily reaches for you. 

You remember this part of the dream. You can't move. 

The man grabs hold of you. His hands are cold, and slightly soft, not like flesh and skin but more like a moist putty. They are not attached to his body. The man pulls you closer. Embraces you. It does not hurt like you thought it would. 

[ _____________________________.] he whispers into your ear. 

You jolt awake.

"Gaster!" you gasp. You are covered in cold sweat as you sit up, perspiration feeling far too much like the creature's hands to calm your racing heart. You hate that dream. Although, the strange man has never talked to you before. Always, he has simply held onto you, crying onto you, and you have watched your own skin start to melt as his tears fall onto you. It was different this time. You think maybe you should talk to someone about this recurring dream. 

And what is a Gaster? You wish you knew why that word was stuck so firmly in your brain, your throat burning strangely after you'd said it. 

You decide the strange man must be a Gaster. 

It suits him, you think.


	2. Gaster.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cold.

You are cold. Freezing. 

It is dark in your room, and underneath your pile of blankets, you are nearly shivering, unable to get warm. You pull your hands up to your face, and breathe on them, rubbing them together. Perhaps you've caught a fever. But you don't feel feverish. However. 

Ever since this morning, you have felt strange. Your earlier dream has left with you the feeling of some lingering presence, and, more than once, you have caught yourself looking back over your shoulder at nothing, a nothing that feels like something should be there. It is not a comfortable feeling. And although it it spring, you have not been able to get warm. You are a little afraid. 

Something moves in the darkness. Your heart nearly stops. 

"Gaster?" you say, and it feels as though your tongue had simply moved on its own, deciding for you what to say. You feel like you should not have said that name. 

However, the room remains dark, and cool, and for a long time, nothing else moves in the shadows. Despite your anxiety, all seems well. Your parents are asleep downstairs, and your room in the attic is as safe as it has ever been. This isn't a horror movie, after all. Your dream was just a dream. Monsters don't exist. 

[ ____. ]

You choke on a shriek. Something has just whispered into your ear, so close that you could feel warm breath on your cheek. Instantly, you whip your head around to look, and your preemptive swing of your fist connects with nothing but air, your heart thudding so loudly it is all you can hear. You have started to shake. 

"Go away. Leave me alone," you whisper. A voice whispers back. 

[ _______________. ]

"You are not real! Get out of my head!" you demand, and cover your ears, shaking your head as though this could dislodge the persistent voice. For a moment, you see something flicker at the foot of your bed. You pull your legs up to your chest, and hold very still. 

Nothing happens. Nothing springs out of the darkness to attack you, nothing growls or speaks to you. It is quiet. That is even worse.

It remains quiet for a very long time, and you do not sleep through it. All through the night, fitfully dozing, you jerk yourself awake and look around, scanning the room for intruders. Your lamp no longer seems to work. How convenient. 

"This isn't a scary movie." you finally assure yourself, aloud. "Nothing's gonna get me. ...Gaster is a dream." 

[ ...GASTER ______ DREAM. ] something repeats. You swallow your scream. 

Taking a very deep breath, you hold it until your heart slows, and then slowly exhale, your hands quivering where they clutch the blankets to your chest. You look around the room. Empty. 

"What...what do you want, Gaster?" you ask. Your voice barely comes out, and your words shake, betraying your fear. You dearly hope that the thing that is in your room is not sadistic. 

There is silence, for a minute or two. Then, a reply. 

[ YOU _____ SEE ME. ] 

You take another slow breath. 

"I can't see you. Are you in here?" 

[ CAN _____ ME. LOO___K. ] the voice says. It sounds like it is struggling. You once again look around the room. 

Somehow, it isn't as jarring as you thought it would be when you see Gaster standing at the edge of your bed. Although, perhaps, standing isn't quite the right word. You'd never noticed in your dreams, but he doesn't appear to have any feet, or even legs, for that matter. Everything below his head just seems to be...goo. Shapeless, and dark, fading into the floor like a ghost. His detached hands float limply at his sides. 

"I- I can. See you," you breathe. He doesn't seem to be quite...all there, physically. He flickers like a weak television image, and it is obvious even on his misshapen features that he is in pain, forcing himself to manifest in a place he probably shouldn't be. You feel very oddly calm, although your heart still skips a beat. 

"What do you need?" you ask him. 

[ _____ CAN SEE ____. _________ ME. YOU CAN SEE _____ ME. YOU CAN SEE ME." he repeats, over and over again, and gradually the sound gets clearer, static noise making way for discernible words. [ YOU CAN SEE ME. I'M ALONE. ] he says mournfully. He sounds so sad, you almost want to comfort him. 

"You're just lonely?" you ask in surprise. Gaster nods. Or perhaps his head is just slipping, seeing as it doesn't appear to be anchored in any one particular place. 

Huh. A lonely monster. Or is he a ghost? You're not really sure. But one thing is for certain, and that is that you do not want a ghost-monster in your bedroom. 

"You can't stay here, Gaster," you tell him. "I have to sleep. Don't you have someplace to go? Where are you even from?" 

You feel almost silly, whispering in your bedroom like this. It bizzarely reminds you of your childhood, staying up past your bedtime when your friends would sleep over. 

Gaster starts to sob again. 

[ _____________________________________________________. ] he weeps, all static screech, and you cover your ears in pain. He is much louder when he is upset. 

"Don't cry!" you hiss over the noise. "No no no, please stop. You're hurting me!" 

Gaster does not stop. He looks defeated. As you watch, his already shapeless form sinks down towards the floor, and he is soon reminiscent of a puddle, or perhaps a sunny-side-up egg. His hands make a vain effort to cover his eyes, which are still clearly visible through the gaping holes in his palms. He peers up at you through his tears. 

Your heart, and your head, ache. 

"Okay fine!" you exclaim, as softly as you can, so as not to wake your parents and have them walk in on this mess. Or even worse, have it turn out that this wasn't even happening, and have you put into some hospital for observation. "You can stay for tonight! Just stop crying! Please?" 

With a sound a bit like a hiccup, Gaster finally seems to get himself under control, and sobs weakly a few more times before drawing in a deep breath. He slowly rises back up again, and wipes his tears from his face with the edge of his...sweater? He was wearing something over his top half, whatever it may have been. 

[ THANK __ YOU. YOU ________ SLEEP NOW. I WILL ____ QUIET. ] he assures you, and then falls silent, simply staring at you from his place at the foot of your bed. You stare back. There is no way you can sleep like this.


	3. Bored Games.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What to do with a depressed monster in your bedroom?

As it so turns out, you do not sleep that night. At first, you try to distract yourself with your phone, mindlessly browsing your social media sites. It does not help you to forget that Gaster is there, just watching you from the darkness. When you finally give up on that and lay your phone down on your pillow, you have just enough time to blink before Gaster moves and is somehow now at your side, making you jump. 

"Jesus!" you exclaim. 

[ NO, ___ GASTER. ] Gaster replies, and somehow you feel that what he'd just said was some sort of joke. He almost seems to be smiling. 

He is now close enough for you to have reached out and touched him, and you instinctively shuffle away, moving to the other side of your bed to escape the chill he exudes. This doesn't seem to bother him, and he moves his gaze from you to your phone, which he picks up in one hand and begins to scrabble at. You watch him, afraid to stop him, bewildered. 

He turns back to you, frowning. 

[ _______ _____ FLIP OPEN. ] he says. It takes you a minute to figure out what he is complaining about. 

"...Oh! Oh. That's not a flip phone." you inform him, and his head tilts almost completely to the side. He stares at you. "It's a smartphone. You press, um, you press the button on the side to turn it on." 

Gaster looks down at the phone in his hand. After a moment's exploration, he finds the button, and clicks it, his mouth opening slightly as the phone lights up. 

[ ...SWIPE? ] he asks. 

You try not to smile. This is absolutely bizarre. 

"Yep. Slide your finger across the screen." 

He does so. His strange warble of satisfaction makes a laugh rise up in your chest, and you cough, trying to play it off. This is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to you. You feel as though you should be much more afraid of Gaster than you are. But watching him slowly figure out your phone, you feel almost entirely at ease. He really seems harmless. Just confused, and sad. Like a lost puppy. 

You come back to yourself as you hear a familiar tapping sound. 

"...Hey! Who are you texting?" you ask, a little alarmed. "Don't do that!" 

You lean forward to try and take your phone from him, and he easily glides away with it, out of reach. He warbles at you, sounding offended, and continues to type. You sit up straight. 

"Gaster!" you hiss. "You can't do that! No one can know you're here!" 

Gaster doesn't seem to care. He pointedly ignores your complaints, and only moves his fingers faster. By the time you manage to clamber out of bed and make your way across the room to him, the damage is done, and he gives up the phone almost proudly, waiting for you to read what he's written. It is an unsent message, addressed to the last person you'd texted. 

'HELLO. MY NAME IS W. D. GASTER, PH. D.' it reads. 'THIS IS MUCH EASIER, ISN'T IT? TALKING HURTS, YOU SEE.' 

"...You're a doctor?" you ask. Gaster nods once more, his mouth curling into a smile. It's kind of creepy. He motions for you to give the phone back. Doubtfully, hesitantly, you do so. 

More tapping. He shows you the screen. 

'WHAT IS YOUR NAME? WHAT ARE YOU?' 

You frown. 

"What am I? I'm...a person, I guess? Um, a human?" you begin, and tell him your name. He listens carefully, and then repeats it. You nod. What a strange conversation...

'THAT IS A NICE NAME. WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION?' 

"I'm just a student." 

'AH! I WAS ONCE A TEACHER, FOR A TIME.' Gaster types. You sit back on your bed, watching him curiously. 

'I TAUGHT MAGICAL SCIENCES.'

You cross your arms. 

"What are magical sciences?" you ask. This guy could do magic? Magic existed? ...Honestly, after tonight, that wasn't so surprising. 

Eagerly, Gaster begins to type again, and he taps away for a few straight minutes before he suddenly stops, the light from the phone disappearing with a beep from the device. Oops. Dead battery. 

Gaster static-screeches in outrage. 

"Hey, relax!" you yelp, and take the phone from him, worried that he might break it in his anger. "It just needs to charge! Just wait until morning, okay?" 

Gaster grumbles, but seems to settle. He slowly moves back to the foot of the bed, and waits there for a minute before seeming to change his mind, gliding back up to you again. He points to the bed.

"This is a bed." you tell him. Funnily enough, you could swear he rolls his eyes, despite having no pupils to speak of, only empty sockets. 

[ __ KNOW IT'S A BED. CAN _____ LAY DOWN? FEELING ____ LITTLE FAIN___T. ] he says. You purse your lips. You don't particularly want to share your bed with this creature. But at the same time, what has he done to hurt you? 

"...Sssssure." you relent, and scoot over even more, leaving him ample room to lie down without touching you. Or so you think. He lays down, gratefully, moving as though it pains him to do so, and as soon as he is settled, he promptly seems to melt, his form spreading out like a blanket of black ooze. You cringe. Oh, that is pretty gross. 

[ _____ NIGHT. ] he mumbles. You say nothing. You are definitely not going to sleep tonight.


	4. Schoolhouse Follies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You obtain a tag-along for exam day.

The first light of morning is thin and watery, barely piercing the curtains over your window. You have never been so happy to see the sun. As you roll over in bed, you are very careful not to wake Gaster, who hasn't moved since the moment he laid down. His breathing is faint, but steady, and you assume he is asleep. Even though his eyes are open. At least he's looking the other way. 

Gingerly, you ease yourself out of bed, and, as an afterthought, tug your part of the blanket over Gaster. You wonder if he ever gets cold. 

And speaking of Gaster, you are a little surprised he's still here. At some point during the night, you'd begun to think that maybe this was just a whopper of a dream too, and that when morning finally came, he would have faded away like the darkness. Evidently, this is not the case. He appears very much real. Somehow, you aren't too bothered. It's really odd, and sometimes a little awkward, but you almost like having Gaster here, so far. He seems gentle. 

[ GOOD _____ING. ]

"Holy shit!"

You put one hand over your heart, and the other over your mouth. 

"Don't DO that," you whisper through your fingers. Gaster still hasn't moved, but somehow you can feel him smiling, even though his face is hidden from you. He simply gives off an aura of amusement. You have to resist the urge to smack him. 

[ ______ UP NOW? ] he asks, and finally rolls over. Or at least, his head does. The rest of him appears to stay in roughly the same place, only wavering slightly. How unnerving. You grimace. 

"You can stay in bed if you want. I have school today, so I have to get ready." you tell him. "And hey, you're not going to stain the sheets, are you? What are you even made of?" 

Gaster snorts. 

[ NO STAIN. NOT ______________ MADE OF. ]

You sigh. You wish it was easier for him to talk, because it's getting a little annoying to have to play fill-in-the-blanks with every sentence he speaks. Gaster seems to feel the same way, and echoes your sigh, a gusty sound that blows the curtains as he finally rises to his...er, lack of feet. He stretches, and ripples. 

[ BREAKFAST. ] he says, and it sounds like an order. You frown. 

"You need to eat?" you ask. 

[ NO. YOU _____ BREAKFAST. ] he clarifies, and points to you as he speaks, jabbing his finger lightly into your shoulder. [ ______ IMPORTANT MEAL ____ THE DAY. ]

You snicker. 

"You sound like my mom," you laugh, and turn on your heel, ignoring Gaster's indignant huff as you make your way to your closet. 

________________________________________________________________

Once you are dressed and ready to go, you exit your room's bathroom, still brushing your hair, only to find Gaster standing directly outside the door, a pile of your textbooks in his hands. You pause. 

[ WASN'T SURE WHAT ___ NEEDED. ] he says apologetically, and sets the pile down on your bed, where it slides to the side and falls over. Gaster hisses softly at it. 

"It's finals, actually, I don't need any of it. But thank you," you reply, and smile hesitantly at him. He sure is a quirky character. 

Gaster smiles back at you. It is a wide, toothless smile, his cracked lip making it look even more lopsided, and you try not to cringe or shy away. He might be sweet, but damn if he isn't also the most uncanny thing you've ever seen. Your smile slips, just a little, and so does his. It turns to a frown. 

[ I KNOW. ] he sighs, and turns away from you, bringing his hands up to his face to trace the cracks that mar his skin. [ WASN'T ALWAYS LIKE ____. HANDSOME, ONCE. ]

You bite your lip. 

"Hey," you begin, as gently as you can. "You're still handsome! Turn that frown upside-down, mister." 

Gaster turns back to look at you. After a few tense moments of staring, he seems to relent, and smiles once again, pulling up the sides of his grin with his forefingers. It's a funny gesture, but eerie on him. You keep that thought firmly to yourself. 

"S-so, um." you say. "Are you...gonna go home now? I can't really leave you here with my parents while I'm at school. You understand, right?" 

Gaster grumbles. His hands slowly fall back to his sides, and begin to pick at the oozy part of his form, the way one would fidget with an article of clothing. 

[ NO HOME. ] he replies mournfully, and looks at you with the biggest, saddest eye-sockets you've ever seen. You get the distinct feeling that he is playing it up for your benefit. You run a hand through your hair, thinking. 

"You really are like a lost puppy, huh? ...Um, nevermind that. Look, I can't take you to school with me, either. If someone sees you, they'll probably call the government or something!" 

Gaster laces his fingers. 

[ NO ONE ____ YOU CAN SEE ME. I ___ FOLLOW YOU. _____ BE QUIET, I PROMIS__E. ] he pleads, and sinks slightly lower to the ground, playing at kneeling with his hands clasped together as though in prayer. What a drama queen! You catch him smile, and you grin back, unable to help yourself. 

"Mmmmmmm...well, fiiiine. I guess it's okay, if no one else can see you." you relent, and Gaster stands up straight again with a happy purr. "Just, no moving anything around or stuff like that, okay? No ghost stuff. No one can see you, or hear you, or know you're there, alright? I'd totally get kicked out of school for bringing a ghost in with me." 

[ NOT A GHOST. MONSTER. ] Gaster corrects you, but nods anyway, beginning to slouch his way towards the bedroom door. He waits patiently for you to follow. 

This was gonna be an interesting day.


	5. Teacher, Teacher!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaster goes back to school. Reader doesn't obey traffic laws.

The morning air is brisk, unseasonably so, and you are glad you decided to wear your jacket as you walk out your door, Gaster trailing behind you. No wonder it had been so cold last night. Of course, Gaster probably hadn't helped with that. He is a few feet behind you, but you can still feel his cold breath even from there, making your skin prickle. You wonder if he knows he does that. 

"So..." you begin, and look around before you continue, making certain no one is nearby to hear you seemingly talking to thin air. "Where are you from, Gaster? ...Or should I call you W. D. ? Or Doctor?" 

You hear Gaster chuckle from behind you. 

[ PLEASE, GASTER. ____ FROM UNDERGROUND. ]

"What, like a mole?" 

[ ____ RUDE. ]

"It's just a question." 

[ HAVE HUMANS FORGOTTEN _____ THIS? YOUR KIND S__EALED US UNDER ____ MOUNTAIN, MANY _____ AGO. ] Gaster explains, and your brow furrows. 

"...Nnnno, I don't remember that in any history books." you reply. "Humans don't even believe in monsters anymore. They're just, like, scary stories, you know?" 

[ THAT'S ____ SILLY. ] Gaster says bluntly. You snort. 

"I guess I'd feel the same, if it was people who were being called stories." you agree. You shift your bag on your shoulder, and pause at the corner of the street, looking both ways before hurrying across. 

[ ____ JAYWALKING! ] Gaster wheezes, as he struggles to keep up with you. You laugh. 

"No one's around! Besides, I looked both ways!" 

Gaster tosses his head. Another eye-roll? 

[ YOU ARE A DELINQUENT. ] he informs you. You ignore him pointedly, and make a mental note to jaywalk on the way back, too, just to annoy him. 

____________________________________________________________________

You have never struggled this much on a final before in your life. 

You can't focus. You can hear the clock ticking, hear other students scratching down answers, but the only thing you can focus on is Gaster, who has taken it upon himself to explore every square inch of the room. You're paranoid. What if someone else does see him? He's so sweet, and odd...if someone were to try to attack him out of fear, or perceived self-defense, you don't believe he would be able to defend himself. He's just basically a blob of squish, after all. 

Gaster is looming behind your teacher, following her as she paces the room. Stopping when she stops. It's damn creepy. You wonder if other things do that to other people, things that no one can see. The thought nearly makes you shiver. 

You bring your hand up to your mouth as though to cough. 

"-Gaster!" you grumble, and break into a coughing fit immediately after, watching the monster perk up at the sound of his name. He oozes his way over to you, abandoning the teacher. 

[ YES? ]

You frown, and pick up your pencil. 

'Stop following her', you write on your piece of scratch paper. 'It's creepy. Just sit down somewhere, I can't focus.'

You then flip over your paper to its blank side, and nod approvingly to Gaster as he takes a seat at the empty desk beside you. At least he sort of listens. 

You turn your attention back to your test. Oh, man, you don't remember this formula at all. If you add...and then you...then the answer was D? You move to fill in the bubble. Gaster's hand on your arm stops you. 

[ THE ANSWER ___ B. ]

You pause, and glance over at him. You don't think he would lie to you for no reason...and besides, he WAS a doctor. He's probably super-smart, right? You nod, and fill in the correct bubble. Hopefully he knew what he was talking about. 

_____________________________________________________________________

By the time the test is over, you are more of an anxious mess than you would like to be, but less of one than you had expected. Thanks to Gaster. With a little pleading and a few well-aimed pinches, you'd managed to bully him into helping you cheat. Whether that would make or break your test score, you weren't quite sure yet. Only time would tell. 

"How long has it been since you've been in a school, Gaster?" you ask, making your way slowly out of the building. Amidst the crush of other students, there is no way to tell who is talking to whom, and you figure you are quite safe to speak to him. He shambles along beside you, his head turning this way and that. 

[ NOT SURE. VERY LONG TIME. ] he answers distractedly, and his body ripples as another student, unseeing, passes straight through him. You wonder why he is able to touch you.

[ NEVER SEEN A _____ SCHOOL. _____ SCHOOL. HU-MAN SCHOOL. ] he forces out. [ VERY NICE. ]

"Nice, huh? not what I'd call it," you reply. 

[ CHILDREN NEVER ____ SCHOOL. ]

"You're damn right we don't. Hey, what grade did you teach, anyway?" 

Gaster pauses, drumming his fingers against his mouth. 

[ GRADE? ]

You hum. 

"You don't know what a grade is? It's like...how you sort people, depending on their skill level. Like, little kids are in first grade, and I'm a senior, so I'm about to graduate. You know what graduation is?" 

[ YES. ...TELL ME M__ORE. ] 

You shrug, weaving your way through the crowd of students and out the school doors. Brrrr. Freaking chilly. 

"Not much more to say." you reply dismissively. After a very long day of testing, you do not want to talk about school right now. You want to go home and play video games until you pass out. 

The two of you walk in silence for a while before Gaster finally pipes up. 

[ WAIT. ] he says. 

"Why? What is it?" you ask, and turn your head as you walk to look at him. You barely have time to notice his alarmed expression before you hear the squeal of brakes. You turn back to look. 

[ WAIT___! ]

Truck. Metal squealing. Pavement. It all happens very fast, and you don't have time to gather yourself before something catches around your neck and drags you backwards onto your ass, where you fall backwards in pain, your tailbone throbbing. You gasp, your heart hammering. 

The truck speeds right on by, and roars around the corner, disappearing. 

A few other pedestrians crowd around you. Are you okay, they ask. That man almost killed you, they say. You can't answer in any way but to pant, a disembodied pair of clammy hands still gripping the collar of your shirt for dear life. Gaster is hunched over you like a strange blanket, refusing to let go. 

You sit there, shaking, for a while, before you finally wave the pedestrians off and climb to your feet, your heart racing from your brush with death. That truck would have left you as a smear on the pavement. You deny bystanders' offers to call the police. No one had seen the license plate anyway.

[ ... ... ...TOLD YOU NOT____ JAYWALK. ] Gaster breathes into your ear, and his voice shakes as badly as yours does when you answer. 

"Yeah. S-shoulda listened."


	6. Scrambled Egg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaster finds himself a new home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say thank you to everyone who's read this so far! I appreciate all the comments and kudos so much!! It inspires me to keep going! If any of you ever want to talk, my tumblr url is goldennyan! OK, thank you!!

You are quiet when you arrive home. You say hello to your parents, assure them that the testing went well, and then retreat immediately to your bedroom, Gaster following behind you like a worried shadow. 

You collapse on your bed. 

"Ho-ly shit," you breathe. "I almost died. I literally almost died." 

It is hard to believe. If Gaster hadn't been there, you might have...

[ ____ YOU OKAY? ] Gaster asks you. You nod your head. 

"Yeah. Yeah, I am, thanks to you. Gaster, you just saved my *life*." you reply, and roll over to face him, still having trouble believing what had just nearly happened. Gaster has really turned out to be a blessing in disguise. A creepy, gooey disguise. 

Gaster dips his head down, and wrings his hands together. He seems embarrassed. 

[ GLAD I COULD SAVE __________ ONE. ]

You blink. Cryptic answers, huh? That suited him too. You decide not to pursue it, for now. Who knows what this guy's past was like. He had to have had it pretty rough to wind up looking like...well, the way he did. Cracked face and all. 

You decide to change the subject. 

"So...are you planning to stay here, Gaster? For like, a long time?" you ask. "Because, I think- I think I'd be okay with that." 

Your question seems to catch Gaster off-guard, and his mouth opens in surprise, eyes widening as he processes what you've said. He squeezes his hands together harder. They melt together with a squish. 

[ ...CAN I REALLY? ] 

"As long as we lay down some ground rules. I mean, you just saved me from ending up as roadkill! I figure...yanno, I kind of owe you one." 

Gaster approaches you once more, and before you have a chance to react, he is scooping you up off the bed with dripping hands and pulling you into an embrace. He twirls you around a little. Shocked, you do nothing but allow yourself to be spun around, unsure of how to feel about this. Ewww. His goo is warm. 

[ _____ WILL ________________. THANK _____. ___ CAN FINALLY ________. ______________________________. ] Gaster exclaims, voice distorted, and sets you back down gratefully, looking truly happy for the first time since you've met him. You stand there, stock-still.

"Uhhhhh...y-yeah. I'm glad you're happy, um, buddy." you laugh weakly. 

Gaster smiles at you. 

Gaster's form flickers, and shakes. 

Gaster falls heavily onto the floor. 

"Whoa!" you yelp. You shake off your paralysis and rush over to him, kneeling down at his side as he grumbles into the carpet. "Are you okay? ...What?" 

[ SAID ___ USED TOO ___ ENERGY. LIFTING YOU UP. MANIFESTING _____ _____ DIFFICULT. ] he moans, and you can tell from his voice that he is about to start crying again. Oh, god. 

"Gaster, hey, hey, don't you start crying on me." you soothe, as best you can. Now that you look at him again, he *is* looking a little pale. Well, see-through is more like it. He looks more like a shadow than anything, and his breathing is short and harsh. You grab ahold of his hand. Freezing. 

How are you supposed to tell if he's alright? How do you know that, with a monster? 

"Okay buddy, let's get you off the floor," you say, patting him on the back, and recoil in surprise as your hand nearly goes through him. He feels like nothing but cold air. You grit your teeth, and brace yourself. 

"Come on. Up, up, up. Work with me, Gaster!" you grunt, and tug on his hands with all of your strength, thankful that at least this part of him seems to still be mostly solid. Gaster gurgles, and sways into standing. Moments later, he manages to direct his following fall onto the mattress, and lands with a squeak of springs, knocking your pillow onto the floor. You breathe out slowly. 

"You okay, buddy?" you ask. Gaster nods his head, slowly. 

[ SLEEP. WILL RECOVER. DO NOT W__ORRY. ] he sighs. You hesitantly reach out to pat him on the head. Smooth. Slightly waxy. Like a candle. For some reason, that's funny to you.

[ WHY__________ SMILING? ] Gaster asks, and even in the state he's in, manages to do something akin to quirking an eyebrow. You shake your head. 

"It's nothing. Just take a nap, okay? I'll be here when you wake up. I promise." 

Gaster sighs. He mumbles something you can't hear in reply, and then fades into the mattress, only his head sticking out the top of it. His eyes close. You pull out your phone, and snap a picture. 

Save. Definitely keeping that.


	7. Coffee is a Girl's Best Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caffeine makes the world go 'round.

When Gaster awakes, it is a slow and painful stirring. A yawn, wide and toothless. A grimace. A heavy stretch. 

"Mornin', sunshine." you quip. Gaster slowly rolls his head around to look at you. 

[ GOOD...AFTERN_____N. ] he sighs in reply. He does not get up. [ HOW LONG _____ I ASLEEP? ] 

"Good couple hours." 

Gaster groans. 

"Made you some coffee," you add, and gesture to the chipped mug resting on the nightstand. You weren't sure if he could even drink in the first place, but it had seemed like a thoughtful gesture at the time. 

Gaster slowly rises up. 

[ THANK YOU... ] 

He takes the mug almost hesitantly. Shaking hands fixed firmly around the handle, he lifts it to his mouth with difficulty, and you remember that exertion is hard for him. You mentally scold yourself. 

"You don't have to drink it though!" you add hastily, and Gaster laughs quietly, as though guessing what you're thinking. 

[ ____ IS OKAY. THE MUG IS LIGHT. AND I HAVE MISSED C____OFFEE. ] 

You both relax slightly as he takes a sip. To your satisfaction, he does not turn the drink away or make a face, so at least it appears that instant coffee is enough for him. 

He is still terribly pale. 

"...How did you get here, Gaster?" you ask. He does not look at you, and is quiet for a long minute. 

[ I...WAS __ SCIENTIST. ] he begins. You perk up and lean forward in your seat at your desk, curious. 

[ LONG AGO, I MADE A ______ CREATION. THE CORE. AN A___CCIDENT HAPPENED. I...FELL INTO THE C_ORE. MY BODY ___ SHATTERED ACROSS T__IME AND SPAC__E. NO ONE REMEMBERED ME. I AM LOST TO _____ UNIVERSE. ] 

As Gaster speaks, his voice gets softer, and takes on a low, mournful pitch. He looks up at you with heavy eyes.

[ YOU ARE THE FIRST _______ TO SEE ME. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE. ] he chuckles. [ A HUMAN. ____ STUFF OF MYTHS. ] 

You stifle a snort. 

"That's...an awful story, Gaster." you admit. You watch him take another sip from his mug. Poor thing. What a horrible fate! No wonder he was always crying. 

[ YES. ] 

Another sip. Rather distantly, you notice that his hands have stopped shaking. 

[ WHAT IS YOUR STORY____? ] he asks, to change the subject. You let him. 

"I guess I don't have much of a story." you reply with a shrug. "Just a normal student. Mom and dad both work, no siblings...I haven't really accomplished anything yet, either. But I have big dreams!" you add. Gaster smiles at you over the rim of his mug. He looks just a little bit better. 

[ THAT IS GOOD. ____ TELL. ] 

So you tell him. Your hopes, your plans for the future. After learning what had happened to him, it only seemed fair to reply with honesty in kind. Gaster nods along as you speak, and drinks his coffee. 

[ THOSE ___ GOOD DREAMS. ] he says eventually. He offers you an encouraging smile. [ YOU HAVE A G__OOD SOUL. GOOD SPIRIT. I AM SURE ___ WILL DO ____. ]

You smile back at him. And then frown. 

"Um, Gaster...?" 

He is floating, a few inches off the ground. Around him, the air is warping slightly, as though heated intensely, and his form seems more stable, less...drippy. Gaster looks down at himself. 

[ OH! ] he exclaims, and nearly drops his mug in his haste to put it down, trying to pull the edges of his form down against the upward flow a la Marilyn Monroe. You cover your mouth and smile. 

Gaster slowly manages to fight his way back down to the ground. 

[ ____ WHAT IS IN THIS? ] he asks, and squints into his remaining coffee, stirring it around with a finger. 

"Just instant coffee! I mean, and some creamer and sugar, but that's it..." you list off. Gaster frowns, broadly. 

[ INTERESTING. ] he hums. You can hear the slight upward pitch in his voice indicating his curiosity. He pushes the mug away. 

[ L__OOK AT ME. WHAT DO ___ SEE? ] 

He holds his arms our wide for you to inspect him. 

"Uhh...you're less...gloopy?" you offer. Gaster smiles, and nods. 

[ YES! FORM IS ______ MORE STABLE. SOMETHING IN ___ COFFEE IS ACTING __________ STIMULANT. ] 

Gaster drums his fingers against his lips with a dull clacking sound. 

[ SHOW ME HOW ___ MADE _____ COFFEE, PLEASE. ]


End file.
